Heat
by Kalerin
Summary: Leon's in heat and Cloud's trying to avoid him. Yeah, that doesn't work to well. Probably a bit of OOC which I apologize for. I don't remember Leon all that well.
1. Heat

Sighing, Cloud shut the door behind him. It had been a long day and he was tired. Exhausted, actually but he'd felt worse. That wasn't hard to do in his line of work. After all, Cid had him running around Radiant Gardens from sunup to sundown making deliveries. Normally Cloud wouldn't mind but recently it had just been a pain. Especially with Leon in the state he was in…

Hearing a moan from upstairs, Cloud froze and waited. If he was lucky, Leon was to out of it to know he was home. If he wasn't lucky…then he'd probably have to run. Of course, in doing so he'd make sure to behead Yuffie along the way. After all, this was all her fault!

_Flashback_

"_Cloud! Oh Cloud, it's horrible!" Startled, Cloud turned to see Merlin running after him. Hmm…the old codger was pretty fast to keep up with Fenrir. But that was beside the point. The point was that the old man was screaming his head off and clearly panicked. As much as he didn't want to, Cloud had to respond. So with no warning he stopped his bike and watched Merlin shoot past him. It took a whole three minutes for the wizard to make it back to him. He really had been booking it._

"_Cloud, you must hurry home," Merlin panted while leaning against Fenrir. "Yuffie…I didn't think she'd…didn't know that…poor Leon…" Cloud's ears perked up once Leon was mentioned. Something happened to Leon? _Yuffie _caused something to happen to Leon? Merlin didn't get another word out before Cloud was gone._

_Despite being on the far end of town, Cloud reached HQ in minutes. He burst in without warning and instantly knew Leon was upstairs. Only vaguely being aware of the others in the house, the blonde sped up the stairs, his heart nearly chocked with fear for his husband. New husband to boot as they'd only been married three months._

_The door to their room was locked. Cloud's first instinct was to beat it down and reach his mate but something held him back. That would be a very bad idea and just might result in Leon shooting him. Gaia knew it had happened before. Instead the blonde reigned in his emotions with difficulty and knocked._

"_Go away!" Leon shouted through the door._

"_Leon, it's me." Silence for a moment and then the door was unlocked. Still holding his emotions tightly, Cloud slowly opened the door and stepped in. The first thing he noticed was how dark it was but that was quickly replaced by the shadow on the bed. Leon was nearly rolled up in a ball and he didn't move as Cloud slowly approached and sat beside him._

"_Leon?" Cloud asked gently, touching his husbands shoulder. No response. "Leon." Still nothing. "Squall!" Leon's head jerked up to glare at him. Tears were in those eyes though none had fallen. Yet._

"_I thought you agreed not to call me that," Leon growled. Cloud tried to look sorry but that was hard when he was so worried._

"_I did but you weren't responding to anything else. Leon, please, tell me what's wrong. What happened?" For a moment it seemed Leon would curl up again but instead he took a deep breath and slowly stood up. At first Cloud didn't notice anything different but then sudden movement brought his eyes down. He frowned at the sight but tried to keep his voice calm. "Leon, why do you have a tail?"_

"_Not just a tail," Leon said mournfully. "Ears too. It was Yuffie. She stole Merlin's book when he wasn't looking and said some spell. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and this is what happened." He sat down again but didn't complain when Cloud gently brushed one of his ears. If anything, he leaned into the touch. "Merlin thinks that since I love and respect lions so much, Griever in particular, the spell gave me a lion tail and ears. All I know is that it's bloody annoying." They were silent for a moment more before Cloud chuckled._

"_I thought you loved lone wolves," he teased. Leon snorted but a tiny smile finally appeared._

"_Only one," he replied before gently kissing his husbands mouth. They'd hunt Yuffie down later. All that mattered just then was them._

_End Flashback_

It hadn't taken Leon to return to normal. In no time he was the strong if somewhat sarcastic leader they all knew and loved/hated. Alright, so Yuffie was getting sent on more garbage cleanup details then normal. So what? Everyone agreed that it was a pretty tame punishment for what she'd done. But other then that everything became normal.

And then everything changed again. A month ago Merlin had warned Cloud that Leon would probably go through heat. For a few seconds Cloud was overjoyed at the thought. Normally he only got to have sex with Leon three times a week. They hadn't been married long enough to cure his beloved if infuriating husband of being a prude. Being in heat would mean that Leon would want to have sex a lot. But Merlin's next words had had the same result on Cloud's libido as a bucket of ice water.

_Flashback_

"_I don't know what you're so worried about Merlin," Cloud scoffed. "Leon going into heat is a good thing. It means I'll get laid a lot." Yes, he admitted it; he loved talking so bluntly about sex and watching the old man blush. Seemed Leon wasn't the only prude in the group. Not that Cloud cared just then as his mind was already on all the wonderful sex they'd have._

_Merlin frowned, knowing that look all to well. Cloud wasn't listening anymore. Well, time to change that. "Cloud; do you know why animals go into heat?" Cloud's eyes met him for a second._

"_Yeah, so that the female can let the male know she's very fertile. It's the best time to mate so that she'll conceive."_

"_Exactly Cloud. Leon is no exception." The blonde frowned in confusion. "Let me put it this way Cloud. If you 'get laid', as you put it, with Leon at all while he's in heat then there is a very good chance that he'll get pregnant." _That_ made Cloud's eyes fly open wide._

"_What?" he nearly wheezed. "You mean if I have sex with Leon even once while he's in heat then he'll get pregnant and give birth?"_

"_Well, I can't be certain," Merlin mused. "After all, you may get lucky where once isn't enough. But you certainly run that risk and the chance of Leon becoming pregnant grows every time you have sex."_

"_How long would Leon be in heat?" Cloud just had to know. If it was only for a couple days then they'd be fine. Even a week. He could handle that. He could-_

"_A month at the least," Merlin said with a sigh. He watched the blonde curl in on himself. "After all, don't forget that this is a magical transformation, my boy. Nearly everything will be exaggerated. But you shouldn't be too worried. Just leave Leon alone for a month. Of course, I mean totally alone. You're his mate and the only one he'll have sex with but if he sees you it's likely that he'd rape you just to get some relief." Finally realizing that Cloud had virtually melted into a puddle of goo from embarrassment and anguish, Merlin decided to leave. They were on their own._

_End Flashback_

Leon had gone into heat about a week later. At that time Cloud started taking on more work. He was gone to work before Leon woke up and didn't come back till Leon was asleep. Of course, it was hard. Leon knew only that he was in heat and nothing about getting pregnant. Cloud hadn't wanted to tell him that part of it. It was hard enough coming home every night and hearing Leon moan in lust and need. But Merlin assured him that the heat would only last another couple days. They'd almost made it. With that thought, Cloud stretched out on the couch and fell asleep. It didn't take his dreams long to fill with Leon and soon he was dreaming about Leon sucking him off. The dream was so perfect that it took a few minutes to realize that he wasn't asleep anymore and Leon really was sucking him off. At that knowledge Cloud lost it and came with a shout. Leon didn't complain; just swallowed all of his husbands cum before reluctantly releasing the now limp cock.

"Leon," Cloud panted, trying to get his mind in gear. "What…are you…doing?"

"What does it look like?" Leon purred. The sound made Cloud's cock twitch yet again. "I'm having sex with husband after a whole month of not seeing him." Warning bells were going off in Cloud's head but he was still too clouded by sleep to do anything about it. He couldn't even resist when Leon crawled on top of him and kissed him. There was no one on any world that was a better kissed then Leon. His tongue was as nimble as it was silver and always had Cloud arching and begging for more. This time though it was that same tongue that led Cloud to his doom. He was so wrapped up in his husbands kiss that he didn't realize that he was hard again. At least, not until Leon suddenly sat down and impaled himself on it. Both men screamed at the sensation but the sounds were simply exchanged through the kiss.

Finally, a shred of control made itself known to Cloud and he pulled away. "Leon, stop," he panted. "We can't do this." Leon glared at him, still fully seated on his cock.

"And just why not?" he wanted to know. For a second Cloud's mind was sidetracked by the twitch of his feline ears before being wrenched back to the topic at hand.

"You're in heat," he said, trying to make his husband listen while also fighting the instinct to fuck said husband silly. Gaia, a month was a long time. "While you're in heat you run the same risk as any female animal. Do you understand, Leon? If we have sex now you may get pregnant." Leon finally seemed to follow him. "That's why I've been gone the past month. Just a few days more and then I'll pound you into the mattress like there's no tomorrow. I promise. Just not right now." They were both still for a moment before Leon suddenly smiled gently. Slowly, he leaned down so that his mouth was next to Cloud's ear.

"Hell no." With that he suddenly lifted up his ass before slamming it down on Cloud's cock again. Both men arched at the sensation but it was soon loss as Leon set a devastating pace. He drew back slightly so that Cloud could see his eyes and they stared at each other. Through the pants and the growls Leon said, "I don't give a shit about what may happen Cloud. If I get pregnant then fine. I get pregnant. The only thing that matters is that it will be your child." His eyes softened. "My mate's child. That's all that matters Cloud." His eyes hardened again. "So listen well. You are going to cum inside me right here. And then you're going to take me on the bed and you'll cum inside me then too. And then we'll repeat in the shower and finally we'll come back here and have one last go before the fire place. Do you understand?" By then all of Cloud's mental capabilities were shot so all he could do was whimper and nod. That small movement broke his concentration and he came violently, instantly filling Leon with his seed. The sensation was enough to make Leon come as well.

For a moment the two men panted against each other before Leon finally got up and off Cloud. With a single look at his husband he made his way back up the stairs to their room. For a second Cloud considered making a run for it but then shook his head. He was already into it; he might as well finish it.

Upstairs Leon was already on the bed and he smiled when the blonde walked in. When Cloud sat beside him Leon made to get up before suddenly being shoved back down. Startled, he looked up into those blue eyes and gulped. They were glowing brighter then normal and that could only mean that his ass was about to get pounded.

"Let's get one thing straight," Cloud growled, one hand holding Leon's hands above him, the other tugging at his husbands erection. "You are not the alpha. Understand? You are not the one in control. Downstairs you caught me off guard but that will not be repeated." A hard squeeze on his erection made Leon whimper. He loved it when Cloud was like this. "Now, get on your hands and knees like the bitch you are." Leon was released and he instantly rolled over to assume the position. No sooner was he in it then Cloud shoved into him with one push. Almost instantly the blonde started pounding away, nearly shoving Leon into the mattress. It took all of Leon's strength just to hold his position. Gaia, he had missed this! His hand went to his neglected member but Cloud slapped it away harshly.

"No," he growled. "If you cum then it's going to be because of my cock alone. You cannot touch your cock at all for the rest of tonight." Leon whimpered but obeyed, lifting his ass higher so that Cloud's thrusts would go deeper. Both men lost track of time but it was certainly much later that Cloud finally exploded inside Leon again. Leon could nearly feel Cloud's semen flowing into him, filling parts of him that he never knew were empty. For a moment the two men lay on the bed, regaining their strength, until Cloud finally leaned forward and licked Leon's neck. "Shower?" he breathed and made Leon shudder. This was going to be a long night.

XxXxXxXxX

"CLOUD!" Aerith looked up in surprise when Leon came storming down. For a moment she was sidetracked by how cute he looked, those ears lying flat and his tail all puffed out. But then she managed to control her thoughts and instead tilted her head.

"Is something wrong?" she asked gently. The effort was wasted as Leon still screamed his response.

"OF COURSE SOMETHING'S WRONG! I'M FREAKING PREGNANT!"

On the other side of Radiant Gardens a certain blonde SOLDIER winced before hopping on his bike again. Maybe Cid had something that would require him being gone for a few days. At least long enough for Leon to cool down so that Cloud could live long enough to see his kids. Actually, maybe he'd just join Yuffie in hiding. After all, Leon hadn't found her yet. For survival reasons that was probably the best option.

XxXxXxXxX

_Babble time: Horrible, I know. Go ahead and flame me for this, I don't give a shit. It's my first time writing about Squall/Leon and I haven't seen the KH cut scenes in forever so I'm sure he's OOC. Sorry about that. This story was written for StillDollDemon because she's an awesome reviewer and she wanted it. :P Just happy I could write it, even if it does suck._


	2. Month 1

"So how's Leon been?" Cloud asked as he helped Tifa lift a crate. She looked at him a smirk that made him nearly growl. Yes, he hadn't seen his husband in a month but that wasn't his fault! Considering the git had said that he didn't care if having sex with Cloud would result in him getting pregnant it was totally unfair that the same git was now trying to kill him for getting him pregnant.

"He's fine," she said simply. "Chewing us all up and spitting us out. He even punched Merlin just the other day. Funniest thing ever. And you should have seen what he did to Cid." Cloud gave her a look as she giggled. "Remember how Cid always said he'd impale you on his spear if you ever pissed him off again?" Groaning, Cloud rolled his eyes and nodded. Cid was not only his most uncouth friend, followed closely by Barret, but also his most perverted. "Well, Leon decided to follow through on that threat." Cloud's eyes shot open.

"Leon did not have sex with Cid!" he shouted, dropping the crate. Tifa barely managed to let go herself before her fingers were crushed.

"Of course not," she scolded. "He did, however, tie Cid up and stick the pole of the spear up his ass. Vincent even left him there, saying it was a bad idea to piss Leon off just now." Despite himself, Cloud chuckled. That was his lion. However those chuckles ended when he saw how serious Tifa got. "Cloud, you got to go back to Leon," she said seriously. "It's been a month. He needs you."

"Don't you think I want to go back?" Cloud asked with a sigh. "You have no idea how hard it is being away from him. Leon keeps my mind together so that I'm actually one person and the longer I'm away from him the more my mind fractures again. But I can't get near him Tifa. He hates me right now. Last time he saw me he shot at me with the intent to kill. Trust me, as soon as he cools off I'll come back but for now I can't risk it." He gave her the smallest of smiles. "I'd like to actually be alive when my child is born."

"What about your recovery ability?" his old friend asked, a hand on her hip. "I thought it was impossible to kill you."

"Normally yes," he admitted with a shrug, bending over to pick up the crate again. "However, when I married Leon I had Aerith use a special spell that erased all my abilities where it concerns him. I'm still as fast and strong and invincible as ever. However, when I'm interacting with Leon all those abilities are negated and I'm no better then the average person." Seeing Tifa's look he decided to explain a little more. "It was to dangerous being with him else wise. I could easily kill him while having sex with him simply because I'm to strong. Hell, I could suffocate him by sleeping on top of him because of my denser bones that Hojo gave me. Better to lose it all when I'm interacting with him. However, that also gives him the ability to kill me." Finally reaching the spot where the crate was supposed to go, they put it down with a sigh.

"I still think you should see him," Tifa said, turning to face Cloud again but he was gone. Startled, she looked around but couldn't see him. Suddenly, the door to the room burst open to reveal a very pissed of Leon. His blue eyes wept the room but saw only Tifa. Strange, he could have sworn he'd felt Cloud here.

"Was Cloud here?" he asked. Tifa nodded but didn't bother voicing that it was clear that he was no longer there. "So he got away again. Guess I won't be able to kill him today either." Luckily he failed to notice the sweat on her brow after that comment. Seemed Cloud was right. Just as quickly as he'd come, Leon was gone. After a few minutes Tifa managed to resume her breathing.

"I think the pregnancy is affecting his SeeD abilities." Startled, Tifa looked up to see Cloud perched in the rafters above her. If he'd seriously been there the whole time without Leon noticing then he was right; the pregnancy was screwing with Leon's abilities.

"I think you better leave before it gets tested again," she said with a smile. Cloud nodded and waved to her before dashing out through the window. He had to wait for a moment for Leon to go back inside but then he was gone like a shot. With a lot of weaving and backtracking Cloud finally managed to get to the house where he'd been staying. He knocked three times before kicking the door in. Inside he found Yuffie lying on the couch.

"Hey Cloud," she called happily.

"Yuffie," he acknowledged before heading upstairs. After Leon's first attempt to kill him the blonde had sought out the ninja brat and had been in hiding with her since. It was the most logical decision as after more then six months of hunting Leon still hadn't managed to find her.

With a tired sigh, Cloud allowed himself to fall onto his bed. He sincerely hoped that Leon would calm down soon. He missed being able to go home and cuddle with his husband. Actually, he mostly missed being able to walk around without fear of his beloved killing him. Yeah, that's what he missed the most. But with every day that passed he lost faith in Leon ever forgiving him. After all, it had been a month already and the anger hadn't abated in the slightest.

However, Cloud was really hoping his love would calm down soon. He was so excited to see his child or children. In fact, the only other time he'd been this excited was when he was waiting for Zack to give birth to his godchild.

_Flashback_

"_So have you picked out names yet?" Cloud asked. Zack just chuckled and shook his head at his friend's question. True, it was expected but that didn't make it any less funny._

"_Cloud, how many times must I tell you this?" he teased. "Seph and I aren't revealing the name until after the baby is born because the gender is a secret. We don't want to give it away."_

"_But it's my godchild," Cloud whined but his eyes were laughing. He and Zack had had this argument a lot and he never grew tired of it. In a way he was convinced that eventually he'd win and Zack would slip up. However, so far that plan was a no go and it would only be another couple weeks until Zack gave birth._

"_This is true," Zack said with a small smile, rubbing his rounded belly. "Alright, I'll give you a hint. The name starts with a 'V'." It wasn't enough to tell Cloud what the name was but it was more then most people knew so he was content._

_Suddenly, Zack grew serious. "Cloud," he said. "Have you ever considered having kids?" Startled, the blonde shook his head. "That's too bad," his friend sighed. "I think you'd be a good father."_

"_How can you tell who'd be a good one and who'd be a bad one?" Cloud asked._

"_Easy," his friend said with a smile. "Anyone who is a little bit afraid of being a parent will be a good one. They won't go into it arrogant and worry enough to ask questions so that they hopefully don't screw up. If they think they know everything and nothing can surprise them they probably won't be the best parents. Good ones, maybe. But not the best." The raven's eyes softened as he continued to stroke his stomach. "Seph and I are both scared to a certain degree. There are nights when I can't sleep because I'm so worried about screwing something up. Just last week Seph nearly had a mental melt down because he realized we don't have the nursery done nor have we baby proofed the apartment. We know we're going to screw up somewhere and that's what's giving me hope. We're both going to be looking for outside help and outside support instead of trying to tough it alone. That's why our daughter is going to be raised well." They were both silent for a moment before Cloud's eyes lit up._

"_You're having a girl?" Zack smacked his forehead with a, "Damnit!"_

_End Flashback_

The little girl's name had been Valentine in honor of Vincent. Just as expected, there were times when Zack and Seph struggled. Seph in particular had a hard time while Valentine was a baby. He just plain didn't know what to do with her. Zack also had to learn that just because she had mako enhanced parents didn't mean she was enhanced herself. But the two had a large support system and weren't afraid or ashamed to ask for help if it was needed. In fact, they would often seek out help on even the smallest of things just to make sure they got it right. Cloud had nearly strangled Zack when the raven had called in a panic because Valentine had slept through the night. If in the morning the baby was still alive and not utterly starving then that was a good thing. Not something to panic about and asking what was wrong and which doctor to go to. Somehow he'd managed to not kill Zack for that one though. He did, however, shoot Zack for giving a four year old Valentine a whole bucket full of candy. Not the best party ever.

But that was in the past and served nearly no purpose now. Valentine had been lost with her parents when the world was destroyed. In fact, the last thing Cloud remembered of his world was Zack and Seph kneeling together, holding Valentine in a hug as they world collapsed around them, knowing they couldn't escape. It was the memory of how Zack and Seph had handled the pregnancy and being parents that Cloud focused on. Soon he'd have to put that stuff in practice and he wanted to try and be as good of a parent as they were. It was to these thoughts that he finally drifted off to sleep.

Once the sun finally set Cloud woke and rolled out of his bed to go back downstairs. The great Wutain Flea, aka Yuffie, was passed out on the couch and didn't react when he moved through. Honestly, the whole city was silent as he slowly made his way back to his house. Just as he had for every night the whole month of separation, he swung up onto the bedrooms window sill. Very carefully he used the techniques that Vincent had taught him and opened the window enough for him to squeeze in.

Once inside he moved very carefully to the side of the bed. For a moment he just stood there, watching Leon's form. The moonlight threw his love's face into light and shadow, merely adding to his beauty. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as Leon's lion ears twitched. There were times when his husband was just plain cute. Not that he would ever tell him that.

Silently, Cloud knelt beside the bed. He couldn't touch the bed at all because that would wake Leon up but he could still wait there and guard his love through the night. And that's exactly what he was going to do.

XxXxXxXxX

_Babble time: Wow. People like this story. I'd actually planned to leave it as a one shot but a story is gradually emerging so I think I'll keep going. Not much Leon this time which I apologize for but he should be back next chapter. Until then and without further ado, the reviews!_

_Yuki-chan99: I am pretty hard on myself. (smiles sheepishly) Sorry about that. Glad you like it though._

_StillDollDemon: Lol, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I'll message you the answers to your questions in just a minute but until then I'll just say thanks again. That and please don't irritate your family to the point where they'd kill you. I'd miss you to much._

_Krad: I have a very hard time writing serious stories so this will probably continue to be humorous. Glad you liked it!_

_Shiiroro: The only part you were supposed to dislike was my crappy way of writing it. Other then that, I'm glad you liked it so much._

_Melody123: If you like Cloud as the daddy you may also like 'I'm not meant to be a mom' if you haven't read it yet. In it Zack is the happy mommy and Cloud is one of the fathers. Back on subject, I'm glad you like it. And I'm really glad I made you laugh._

_Lettherebeyaoi: Thanks for the compliment and I hope you continue to like._

_Dum-di-Dum: You're right, that wouldn't have been as fun. Besides, the person I wrote this for specifically wanted Cloud to be the dominant. Still, hope you liked it._

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	3. Month 2

Yawning, Leon pushed himself away from the table. If he didn't give up and go to bed soon he'd just fall asleep at his desk. Aerith would kill him if that happened. Well, she'd kill him after giving him a long lecture about how that sort of habit wasn't good for the baby. Speaking of the baby, he glanced down at his stomach. It was still totally flat but that wasn't all that surprising. He was only two months along. Matron had told him that most women didn't show until their fourth month.

"Thinking about the baby?" Startled, Leon turned to the door to see Vincent there. The silent man had become a good companion the past two months and was often near by.

"Yeah," Leon admitted with a small smile. "Just thinking about getting my baby bump and what it will be like when he's born." Only the slightest of shifts told him that the ex-Turk was confused.

"I thought you hated the baby," Vincent said quietly.

"Oh course not!" Leon said in shock. "I love my baby. What made you think such a thing?"

"Your trying to kill Cloud." That made Leon wince. Sort of hard to argue with that. He hadn't exactly been nice to his husband the past two months. The few times he had seen Cloud he'd tried to kill him.

"I don't hate the baby," he insisted stubbornly. "It's Cloud I'm pissed off at. That's all. After all, he knew better and still got me in this situation."

"You didn't give him much of a choice," Vincent argued. Leon opened his mouth to refute that but Vincent just arched a brow at him. "I saw it Leon. Cid wanted me to deliver something to Cloud and I saw what you did to him. No matter what you may think, you didn't give Cloud a choice." Leon was still frowning which made Vincent sigh. Maybe it was time the brat knew.

"Come here," Vincent said. Warily, Leon obeyed and stood before him. Testament to both training and trust he didn't jerk away when Vincent grabbed his face with his clawed hand but he did flinch. The metal was freaking cold.

"Everyone knows you have abandonment issues," Vincent said quietly. "What no one besides me knows is that Cloud has nearly the same problem." That made Leon's eyes widen. "When Cloud was young the only person to love him unconditionally was his mother. If he wanted to stay in the good graces of others he had to please them. Even Tifa was that way. So long as he did what she wanted, acted like she wanted him to, she'd be his friend. If he tried to do what he actually wanted she'd spurn him. Everyone was that way. Things just got worse when he got to ShinRa. There the only person to accept him fully was Zack. Yes, he had more friends but their acceptance of him was still dependant on him pleasing them. Being everything they wanted him to be. Doing everything they wanted him to do.

"Even after all this time Cloud is still struggling with this. So long as he does what's expected and wanted everyone here welcomes him. But remember those times that he went off to do his own stuff? When he came back everyone would spurn him until he got back in their good graces. Even Aerith held a grudge because he didn't do what they wanted." At this point Vincent's eyes narrowed. "You also turned your back on him. I was the only one who didn't and only because I never put my expectations on him. I suffered that myself to much to put in on someone else. So think about it, Leon. Two months ago you didn't give Cloud a choice. You made it clear that the only way you would accept him was if he had sex with you. What was he to do? If he hadn't had sex with you he would have lost his husband and the love of his life. Don't blame him for being afraid to lose you." Having said what he wanted to say, Vincent released the stunned lion and walked off. It was up to the two of them now.

Shaken, Leon managed to get to the bed before collapsing. His eyes were wide and sightless as he processed the information Vincent had just given him. Now that it was laid out before him he could see it all so clearly. He was right; Cloud's acceptance was based on if he did what they wanted. On if he did was _Leon_ wanted. What sort of relationship was that?

Gently, Leon rested his hand on his stomach. Yes, right after he'd learned he was pregnant he'd been pissed off. Now though it seemed like such a miracle. After all these years of fighting and taking life he was finally giving life. And he had Cloud to thank for that. So what did he do? He tried to kill him.

"This is so freaking messed up," he snarled, getting to his feet. Quickly slipping on his jacket, he rushed downstairs. Just as he reached the ground floor he saw Cid stepping out. "Cid. Wait a sec." Yes, he smirked when Cid jumped and instantly put his back to the wall. Terrorizing the man was fun. But right then he had other things on his mind. "Can you tell me where Cloud is? I need to see him."

"Ya mean ya need tah kill him, don't cha?" Cid drawled. He was used to Leon asking where Cloud was. But this time he noticed the frown and realized things were different.

"No, I need to talk to him. I need to apologize to him." Leon's eyes lowered. "I actually need to apologize for a lot of things. So could you please tell me where he is?" Hearing the sincerity in the boy's voice, Cid knew he was telling the truth. Still, he'd seen how violent the former SeeD could get. If possible he wasn't going to inflict that on Cloud.

"Can't tell ye," he said at last. Before Leon could complain he held up a hand. "I believe ye but I've seen how ye react around Cloud boy. I'll tell Cloud you want to see 'im and let 'im decide if he's comin' or not." Leon was still frowning but he eventually sighed and nodded. Really, he should have been expecting that reply. So, instead of arguing, he gave a slight bow before going to find Aerith. Vincent's info was all well in good but the Cetra girl sometimes saw more then he did. Maybe she could help.

* * *

Groaning, Cloud rolled over and tried to block out all noises. Curse it; he was going to freakin kill Merlin for this. What had possessed the old coot to get Yuffie a karaoke machine for her birthday? Especially when she sang worse then a cat drowning in hot tar. How she managed that, the blonde didn't know nor did he want to know.

Considering his attempts to go deaf, Cloud was dismayed when he heard someone knock on the door. With reluctance the blonde unburied his head and moved towards the door. As soon as he opened it a smile split his face. "Cid," he greeted. He couldn't hear the pilot's response as Yuffie hit a high note just then. Both men winced as the windows cracked. Thinking that enough was enough, Cloud rushed back to his room for a second to grab his sword before speeding out of the house. Thanks to that blasted mako Cid didn't even notice his trip. As far as the older man was concerned, the sword just magically popped onto his back as he stepped out. At least, that's what he thought Cid was muttering about. He could have also been making some very lewd remarks about his sexuality but who cared?

"Did you need to see me?" Cloud asked, striding away from his hiding place. Cid fell into step beside him easily but kept quiet. It was like he was trying to figure out how to put his thoughts into words and Cloud didn't feel like rushing him. After all, it was rare enough for Cid to be thoughtful; he didn't want to jinx it.

"Leon's been askin' 'bout you." If it hadn't been for mako making in impossible for Cloud to be clumsy he would have tripped over his feet. As it was he stopped so suddenly that Cid ran into him and stumbled back. For a moment the pilot nearly cussed his friend out but then he noticed the look on Cloud's face. It was nearly all shut down with only the faint glow of mako to prove he was still alive at all. That face hadn't come out since the hunt for Sephiroth and it hurt Cid to see it now. He knew what it meant. It meant that Cloud's emotions were so powerful just then he was afraid about losing control.

"Has he?" the younger blonde finally asked, voice nearly dull. For a moment Cid wondered if his friend thought that little of his mate but then thought better of it. His friend was afraid of hoping again.

"Yeh, caught me off guard too," the pilot said easily, hoping to calm Cloud down. "Came outta nowhere and started askin 'bout ye and where ye were. Diddna tell him, of course but I did say I'd tell ye that he was askin'." Cloud still seemed out of it so Cid took a gamble. "He said he had a lot to apologize for. Maybe he's done hunting you."

"Yeah, and maybe Sephiroth was actually the Sugar Plum Fairy," Cloud growled before walking away. He wanted it to be true. Gaia, how he wanted it to be true. But Leon had made his feelings and opinions very clear. He blamed Cloud for his pregnancy and hated the blonde. Nothing could change that.

_You are such a brat._

Startled, Cloud looked around quickly. He hadn't sensed anyone nearby. This proved true as soon as he spotted the one who had spoken to him. "Valentine." The dark haired girl smiled at him but didn't move from where she stood. Something held the blonde back as well so the two simply stared at each other. There were so many things Cloud wanted to say but nothing would come out. Yet somehow he knew that she was hearing him nonetheless. _Go home Cloud,_ she suddenly said with a smile. _Leon needs you and you need him. Go home._ And with that she was gone.

For a moment, just a moment, Cloud hesitated. His body still remembered the last attack Leon had unleashed on him. But he couldn't just discount Valentine's words. One, because it was Valentine and two, because he knew she was right. Hell, she was always right, the little twerp. So it was with halting steps that he started towards his mate's house.

* * *

Sighing, Leon rolled over, hugging Cloud's pillow. Now that he'd snapped out of his anger he couldn't believe how much he missed his husband. Everything in the house reminded him of his blonde and how he'd pushed him away. Just before bed it had hit him that not only does he not know where Cloud is; he doesn't know if Cloud is well. He could be sick or injured and Leon would never know. The only thing he knew was that his love wasn't dead. If he had been dead then Leon was sure that his heart would have broken. But it was small consolation when he knew nothing else.

A sudden noise made the lion's ears perk. Someone was climbing the stairs. Not knowing if it was a hollow, Leon stayed very still. It didn't sound like a hollow. Way to big. But then who could it be? The others knew not to enter his home without invitation. Merlin had been the last to try and he'd had his stupid, pointy hat shot off. Maybe it was Vincent, coming to check on him. After all, it wasn't like the undead man ever really warned anyone of what he was doing.

Leon was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the door to the bedroom opening. However, all thoughts came to a screeching, crashing halt when a single voice brushed his ear.

"Leon?" The brunette bolted up, eyes wide. For a moment he was sure he was dreaming as he saw Cloud in the doorway. But then his mate's scent reached him and he knew he was awake.

"Cloud," he breathed, not knowing what else to say. How do you tell someone that you're sorry for everything you've done for two months and that you love them more then life? He was going to try when Cloud's lips were suddenly on his own. Maybe words weren't needed. The point was, Cloud was back and this time he wouldn't let his love go. Leon made a mental note to thank Vincent later before gently pulling his husband down to the bed.

XxXxXxXxX

_Babble time: Yes, I know I'm inexcusably late. My apologies. My only excuse is that I got super depressed and considered halting my writing all together. Trust me, it was a tempting thought. But then I recognized everything as my SAD so I pulled through and will attempt to write more regularly now. To further that thought I am now writing all my stuff out by hand and then typing it up to upload. Because of that my updates may be sporadic and irregular but they will be a hell of a lot more quick and common. Well, enough of my excuses. On to the reviews!_

_S I l v e r G u n n e r: Wow, my lemon was hot? I didn't think so but I'm glad you did. Not sure where they went for their honeymoon. Actually, I'm not sure if Leon ever let him out of the bedroom during that time. __J_

_Krad: I'm glad you like my multi-chapter story. Hope I didn't ruin it by not updating for so long._

_Yuki-chan99: Yeah, I'm really trying not to be hard on myself anymore but it's hard. Lol, you like torturing Cloud don't you? Don't worry though; Leon's not the only one who will go through all the things you mentioned. But that will be explained next time._

_Melody123: Yes, there is going to be more, contrary to popular belief. As you can see, Leon forgave Cloud eventually and yes, staying with Yuffie was punishment enough._

_StillDollDemon: (droops) I'm so sorry for not updating more frequently. I'll really, really, try to be quicker now. I already have the next chapter written so you shouldn't have to wait super long this time. Unless I get depressed again. Sorry the message never got to you; Fanfic has seriously been screwing with me. Anyway, talk to you soon!_

_Dragi: …damnit! Will you PLEASE get out of my head! How the hell did you manage to guess what I was doing months before I did?_

_RockyBubbles: I'm glad you liked my story. Hopefully my late update won't change that._

_Lettherebeyaoi: Yeah, Cloud can be pretty thick headed sometimes. Lol, you're the only one who felt sorry for Cid. He says thanks by the way._

_Alright, hopefully the next chapter will be up sometime next week. Cross your fingers._

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	4. Month 3

Yawning, Leon snuggled closer to the heat. Two strong arms tightened around him, making him sigh in bliss. How had he gone for two months without this? The mere thought caused him pain now.

True, it had been difficult at first. Cloud had been skittish for a couple days. More than once Leon had gone through a mood swing and than had to stop Cloud from leaving again. Vincent had helped keep the blonde around as the couple struggled through their issues. It didn't take Leon long to figure out that his social problems paled in comparison to Cloud's. For about a week it was doubtful if the could get through both their problems.

However, on night Cloud had pulled him aside. "Leon, just tell me one thing," he said quietly. "Tell me, when we have an argument, when one of us does something the other doesn't like, when we're moments from killing each other, will you still love me?" Tears welled in the brunette's eyes as he held his mate close.

"I will always love you," he said strongly. "I may get frustrated but I will never stop loving you." Aloud, Cloud said nothing but he relaxed into Leon's arms. After that day the two rebuilt their relationship together. They still had their rough points but things were improving.

"Love, you need to get up." Grunting, Leon shook his head. "Love, please, if you don't get up Yuffie is going to come find you." A growl before the lion shoved his head under the pillow. "Love, please not again."

"You'll protect me," came Leon's muffled voice.

"Yes love, I will, but have you ever seen anything or anyone that can actually _stop_ Yuffie?" Everything was silent until a very disgruntled Leon sat up.

"I hate it when you're right," he growled but didn't relax until he saw the glint of laughter in Cloud's eyes. His mate was getting better at taking jokes.

"Then you must hate me all the time," the blonde teased. He laughed as Leon stuck his tongue out at him. He'd never thought he'd just sit around and joke with his love. Neither man was that sort of person. But here they were, playfully bickering like those old married couples. It was a wonderful feeling.

"It's too early for this," Leon groaned as he got up and began searching for his pants. "It's too early and I am so not awake."

"Why don't you just grab some pants from the closet?" Cloud asked, watching his lion stumble around. Gaia knew, the man had enough pants.

"They don't fit," came the sleepy response. "I haven't cut tail holes in them yet. Besides, the waist size is too small." That made the blonde perk up.

"You're showing?" Smiling, Leon walked around the bed and let Cloud rest his hand on his stomach. There was a definite bulge there. For the first time the situation really sunk in. "We're going to be parents."

"Now you tell me," Leon said with an eye roll but he was smiling. "I've known that for a month now. The puking sort of tipped me off. Merlin already told me I'm having twins."

"Do you know their genders yet?" the blonde asked, still in awe of the feel of his children in his lover.

"No. I wanted it to be a surprise." The mates stayed still a moment longer before Cloud released him. After Leon finally found a pair of pants that fit he dressed and went downstairs. For a moment the blonde considered following but than decided not to. He had to work on Leon's present.

* * *

The house was quiet when Cloud finally went downstairs. That wasn't supposed to happen. And when it did happen he wasn't supposed to hear muffled sobs. Especially from his mate.

"Love, what's wrong?" Cloud asked gently. The only response was a whimper and Leon curling up tighter. "Leon, please, tell me what happened." A moment more of quiet before Leon slowly uncurled. Tears stained his face but he braved a smile for Cloud.

"It wasn't much," he hedged. "A couple people were teasing me and the hormones took over. If it wasn't for that I'd have been fine." Cloud wasn't totally convinced but he didn't push. Instead he just gathered his lover close and held him until the tears stopped. A large part of him wanted to hunt down whoever had hurt his mate but he knew better than to ask. Last time he asked Leon had panicked. Something about not wanting a murderer for a husband. One of these days he really had to tell his mate everything about his past. In any case, point was that Cloud wasn't allowed to hunt. Pity.

"What were they teasing you about?" he finally asked. Cause Gaia help him, if it was about the kids he was going to-

"My ears and tail," Leon said with a shrug. "Let's face it, they make me pretty different. Even Heartless don't look like…this." His ears drooped but there was a certain fire in his eyes. If it hadn't been for the hormones the teasing never would have pushed him to crying. He was used to being different and the treatment that came with it. It never occurred to him that he was actually used to being hurt.

"Being different is hard," Cloud admitted. He oughta know. "But it can also be fun." Leon threw him a disbelieving look. "Seriously. My friend, Zack, was pregnant like you. He was different but he never let it change him and he even found ways to make it fun. Hell, he could get away with murder and blame it all on the hormones. I remember one time at drill…"

Flashback

_"Hey Spiky! Wait up!" Smiling, Cloud slowed down so that the raven could catch up. "Thanks man. Ready for sword class?"_

_"Of course," the blonde said easily, keeping pace with the 1st. "Sword work is what I'm best at." Despite his best intentions, his eyes flicked to his friend's round stomach. "Uh, are you watching today?"_

_"For the most part," the SOLDIER said flippantly. "If my help is needed than I'll give it. Why?"_

_"Well, the baby…"_

_"Ah, that. Yeah, it may get awkward but relax. I'd never endanger my child needlessly. Besides," he jabbed his elbow at Cloud, "it's a class of cadets. If I can't defend myself against them, even pregnant, then I don't deserve to be SOLDIER First Class." That made Cloud smile. He'd forgotten that part. But then another thought came to him._

_"Does Sephiroth know you're coming to class?" Instant wince from the puppy._

_"No," he admitted sheepishly. "I'm supposed to be resting in his quarters today. But what he doesn't know won't hurt me!"_

_"You mean, what he doesn't know won't hurt _him_."_

_"Eh? How can my going to class hurt him?"_

_"No Zack, it's just a saying. What one doesn't know won't…oh forget it. You're way makes way to much sense." Laughing, the two friends reached the gum. There they reluctantly split, Cloud to formation and Zack To the teacher. Class began and things were going well until Zack offered to help a group._

_"And why would we want _your_ help?" one cadet sneered. "You're just a stupid, pregnant freak." Instantly everyone froze and Cloud tried to turn invisible. The instructor was no where to be seen, choosing to make use of those fast retreat skills of his. All eyes were on the SOLDIER in the middle of the gym. For a moment Zack was still but then he smiled. The sight resulted in something that had never happened before. Cloud Strife, perfect model cadet, disobeyed every long standing order. He dropped his sword and ran. The door to the gym was barely closed behind him before the screaming began._

_Angeal was just walking by when Cloud shot out of the gym. He arched a brow at the screams inside but Cloud just smiled in exasperation._

_"Zack got insulted," he said simply, wincing at a loud crash. The older man just chuckled and shook his head before moving on. A few minutes later the screams and crashes had faded away. Hesitantly, the blonde opened the door and poked his head in. Groaning cadets were sprawled everywhere and most of the furniture was destroyed. Zack himself stood in the middle of the room, dusting his hands off. He winked at the blonde, who finally entered the rest of the way, before picking up the cadet who'd insulted him._

_"I'm not stupid," he said before dropping the boy. Cloud couldn't resist shaking his head as he approached, stepping over bodies on his way._

_"Out of everything he said, that's what you took offence at?" he asked, incredulous. Zack just smiled and shrugged._

_"Nay, I took offence at everything but I never waste more than three words on an unconscious person. Anyway, told you I could defend myself. A whole class of cadets," a flicker behind him caught Cloud's eyes, "standing against me! But look!" Cloud's eyes widened in dread and he quickly tried to shut his friend up. "I'm safe and sound and in no trouble." A hand suddenly clamped around Zack's neck, making him yelp. Everyone was silent until Zack sighed and drooped. "It's Seph, isn't it." Cloud nodded. Silence a moment longer and then… "Crap."_

End Flashback

Leon wasn't sure whether to laugh or groan at the story. Zack was a touchy subject for all who'd known him so he treasured every story of the energetic 1st that he had. However, this story was one of the crazier ones. It was times like this that he really wished he had known Zack.

"Anyway," Cloud said, finally coming out of his memories. "The point is, even though Zack was very different at that time, he didn't act different. Whether pregnant, a mother, a SOLDIER commander, or my best friend, he was still Zack. That's what you need to do. Prove to everyone that you are still Leon, ears, tail, and children included. The lion had his doubts about that but still smiled. It was a place to start.

"Thanks love," he said, giving the blonde a peck on the cheek. If nothing else the story had rid him of the rest of his sadness.

"Anytime," Cloud whispered quietly, giving his mate a hug. A couple minutes later Leon was back on the street while the blonde went in search of Merlin. He had a lot of work to do.

* * *

Cloud?" Leon called. He could sense his husband but couldn't see him. "Cloud, where are you?" No answer. "Seriously, this isn't funny Cloud. I just want to go to sleep." Hands closed over his eyes, making him jump but then he recognized the scent and groaned. "Cloud! Come on, can't we just go to bed?"

"In a minute," Cloud chuckled. "Close your eyes."

"Aw Cloud-"

"Close. Your. Eyes." Sighing, Leon did as instructed. "Now turn around." Again, he obeyed. Two warm hands took his and guided them to the top of Cloud's head. "Now feel." Another sigh as the lion began raking his fingers through Cloud's hair. He was about to demand an explanation when his fingers touched something that twitched. Startled, he opened his eyes. There, nestled in his blonde's hair, were two wolf ears.

"What…how…when?" he stuttered but Cloud just smiled.

"I had Merlin do it this afternoon," he said gently. "This way you aren't the only 'freak'." Tears were spilling down Leon's face as he smiled. No one had ever loved him so much before. But then a horrible thought came to him.

"Wait. Will you go into heat like me?" A slight wince made Cloud look sheepish.

"Someday I will," he admitted. "But since I wanted you to not feel so strange I had Merlin do another spell. I'm pregnant as well." Leon's eyebrows shot up. "Calm down. He's assured me that the child is yours."

"That's not what I'm worried about," the brunet said earnestly. "But how are we going to support ourselves and three kids?"

"Cid, Tifa, and Aerith have all pledged their support and I didn't feel like arguing with them. Yuffie is signed up as lifelong babysitter. Vincent offered to be my partner in the Coliseum tournament that Phil built around me. And once it reaches the point where I can't fight safely anymore Phil has agreed to give me a paid vacation. That's in addition to what you already make for us and when I'm not fighting I'm still delivering for Cid. Everything will work out, you'll see."

A tiny part of Leon wanted to argue but he told that part to shut up. For just a moment he let go of all his worries and allowed himself to rest in his husbands arms.

* * *

_Babble time: Well, not as soon as I wanted it up but hey! At least its up. Not much to say so let's get to the reviews._

_StillDollDemon: I felt really bad about leaving you hanging but with one thing and then another I just really didn't want to write. I distinctly recall thinking that if all I could write was crap then I shouldn't write at all. Anyway, glad you're still holding out for me. Not so late on my updating this time, right?_

_Melody123: Thanks for the review. I've been getting better slowly. Still an uphill battle but reinforcements are here (in the form of a wolf ring identical to Cloud's earring) so I'm sure I'll be better soon._

_Krad: Don't hold your breath on the lemon. I tend to only put two or three in a story cause they're so freaking hard to write. Still, I may add one later._

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	5. Month 4 and 1

"Ouch," Leon muttered, rubbing his stomach. Not to self: Don't lean over the table while pregnant. His children didn't like it. Who know unborn children could be so picky?

"Something wrong?" Cloud asked, hearing the muttered. It seemed like Leon was doing that a lot. However, he'd learned that the mutters mostly meant nothing.

"No," Leon said, getting up to move around the table. "The kids don't like me leaning over the table. I think it put to much pressure on them." A slight smile graced the lion's face. They weren't even born yet and the children were already such major parts of their lives.

"I'll remember that," Cloud said, turning back to his packing while absently rubbing his stomach. He and Vincent would be traveling to the coliseum soon. There was nothing the demon host hated more than an unprepared partner. At least, not anymore. Not since the destruction of their world.

Two arms suddenly wrapped around his waist as Leon leaned on him. "I wish you weren't going," he mumbled in the blonde's locks. "I feel like I just got you back."

"It's not forever," Cloud soothed, holding his mate's hands. "You'll come after Cid finishes the upgrades on the city's defenses. We'll be together before you know it." He hoped so at least. Something told him it wouldn't be that easy and as much as he wanted to ignore it, that tiny part of his mind was normally right.

"I know that," Leon insisted. "We probably won't be separated for more than a week. But I still wish you weren't going." That was an understatement. After those months apart he was afraid of either of them being alone. Cloud was only now returning to normal; the mental strain had been too much for him.

"I'll be fine," Cloud said firmly, turning so he could hold Leon. "You have to trust me. Now come on, Vincent will kill me if I'm late." Reluctantly, Leon let the blonde go. He watched his husband grab his bag before grabbing his hand and walking out of the house with him. The couple waved to a passing Merlin before heading towards the hanger. There they found a farewell party. All of their friends were there to see Cloud and Vincent off. The two warriors said their goodbyes quickly. They weren't exactly interested in farewells. Both lives had been filled with too many.

As the Gummi shuttle finally pulled into the station Cloud gave Leon a last kiss. Then, despite his husband's glare, he knelt down to kiss his sons goodbye. He heard Tifa's distinctive squeal and smirked. Now Leon would have to deal with her gushing about how sweet it was. He was so going to pay for this later.

As the whistle sounded the blonde finally stepped onto the ship and let the doors close behind him. He leaned against the window, watching as the platform pulled away. Leon's eyes were on his as they were slowly separated. 'I love you,' he mouthed to his lion. Before Leon could respond both warriors heard something. Their ears perked up at the same time but Cloud placed it first. His eyes shot open in fear. "Vincent!" he screamed, spinning around but he was too late. A roar, a rush of heat, and then nothing.

* * *

Slowly, Cloud opened his eyes. He wasn't sure where he was but he was positive he wasn't meant to be there.

"You can say that again." Startled, Cloud tried to leap to his feet but the slightest twitch resulted in intense pain. "Whoa, chill Chocobo. You're alright. Well, as alright as anyone can be here." The voice was painfully familiar but it was the nickname that told Cloud who was speaking.

"Zack?" the blonde rasped. And suddenly, there he was, looking just like Cloud remembered. Time hadn't touched him at all. Of course not. He was dead. "Go away," Cloud muttered, closing his eyes. He couldn't deal with this just now.

"Ah come on Spiky. That's just rude. We're friends, aren't we?" Tears leaked out of Cloud's eyes. His imagination wasn't usually this cruel.

"This isn't real," The blonde insisted. "It _can't_ be real. You're dead."

"Trust me, I know," Zack muttered to himself. "Come on Cloud, I know you're smarter than this. Figure it out." Figure what out? Zack was dead. Cloud saw Zack. Cloud saw dead Zack. Cloud was dead.

"Hell no!" Cloud screamed, leaping to his feed. Ignoring the pain, the blonde stared at Zack but didn't really see him. All he could see was Leon's face. No. No, no, no. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't leave his husband and children. Ifrit take it, he couldn't be dead!

"You're lying," Cloud said, stumbling backwards. "This isn't real. "You're lying!"

"I'm not lying Cloud," Zack said softly, tears in his eyes. "I wish I were."

"No!" Cloud screamed, clutching his head. "I can't be dead! I'm not dead. Leon and the kids; they're waiting for me. They're counting on me. I can't leave them. I promised I wouldn't leave them!" Zack took a step towards the blonde but Cloud stumbled back two steps. "Leave me alone!" he screamed, sobbing. "Lies! This is all a lie! Just leave me alone!" Without thinking he spun on his heel and _ran_. He vaguely heard Zack call after him but that was drowned out by the shattering of his heart.

Cloud ran until he simply couldn't run anymore. But even after he collapsed he was still sobbing. He knew when Zack caught up with him but ignored the raven. All he could see was Leon's face. He'd never be able to hold him again. He'd never be able to hold his children. Hell, he'd lost the child growing inside of him.

"Cloud," Zack said softly, reaching out to touch the blonde's shoulder but his hand was slapped away.

"I said leave me alone," he sobbed, curling in on himself. This wasn't the time to hear encouraging words. Why was it so hard to understand that he needed time to cry? And that's exactly what he did. A day, a week, a month, he wasn't sure. All he knew was that the tears never stopped and the pain never faded.

* * *

"He hasn't moved," Zack moaned as his mate finally approached. "It's been months and he still hasn't moved. What if he never moves?"

"Don't forget what he's been through," Sephiroth said quietly, eyeing the blonde who'd destroyed his Darkness. "He's lost his mate and children. Imagine how you would feel if you'd been separated from Valentine and I by death."

"I'd be pretty depressed," the raven admitted. "But to not move for two months? Seph, he's beyond depressed. What if he fades away?"

"Then he fades away," was the unsympathetic reply. Angry violet eyes locked on him. "Zack, we can't keep him here. I know it hurts but you can't protect him this time. If he stays or goes is up to him." He squeezed his puppy's shoulders as the man drooped. "Stop fretting Zack. Cloud is strong. Whatever he decides, he'll see through and be alright. You just need to wait for him to decide." Zack smiled wanly and nodded. With a final glance at the blonde the ex-General left and silence returned.

"He doesn't sound like an insane murderer." Zack jumped at Cloud's sudden words. He hadn't thought the blonde was listening.

"Who, Seph?" he asked. Cloud didn't respond but the puppy kept talking. "Nah, he's not a murderer. That was the Darkness within him. By the way, congrats on defeating it. Not many people can beat Darkness. Anyway, my Sephy has always been with me so I know he's not a murderer. However, I can sort of agree on the insane part. One time he-"

"I don't want to hear about what you do in bed," Cloud interrupted. Zack closed his mouth with a snap. Busted. "All I want to know is who killed me." Silence returned for a moment before Zack sighed and nodded.

"You were killed by Organization XIII," he said quietly. Instantly he had the blonde's attention. "They're a group of powerful Nobodies. They say they're trying to find Kingdom Hearts but really they're just spreading the Darkness. You got killed because you're such a powerful warrior for the Light."

"That's a laugh," the blonde muttered. ""There's nothing Light about me."

"You're wrong but that wasn't what I meant," Zack insisted. "It's true that you are shrouded in Darkness, may Hojo rot for eternity, but you still fight on the side of Light. You fight for Leon and Tifa and Aerith and all the others. Don't tell me they aren't of the Light." The blonde was silent for a moment before finally moving. He slowly uncurled and sat up. His eyes met Zack's and the two friends stared at each other.

"I need to go back," Cloud said quietly. "My friends can't do this alone. Please Zack. How do I get back?" For a moment it looked like Zack wasn't going to answer but then he caved.

"Follow me."

* * *

Two months. It had been two months. Cloud had been dead for two months. Leon was still having trouble accepting that. Honestly, he was still expecting his blonde to reappear. The others had given up on convincing him otherwise.

A sudden kick to his stomach made Leon smile. "I know baby," he said softly, resting a hand on his round stomach. "I miss him too." Another harder kick made him wince. "I'm sorry baby. There's nothing I can do about it." That was an understatement. With all the attacks going on he barely had time to eat and sleep. Most of his time was spent either fighting or rebuilding.

A yip from outside caught his attention. Most dogs had fled a month ago. That any remained was a shock. Enough of one that Leon go to his feet and went to the window. Just below his window sat a scruffy black puppy. It was staring up at him and yipped again. For a moment Leon had to smile which made the puppy wag its tail. Then the puppy did something rather odd. It went across the street to an alley and looked back. When Leon made no move to follow the puppy yipped in a commanding tone, trotting back to the window before returning to the alley. Leon wasn't stupid; the puppy wanted him to follow.

Without really thinking, Leon left the window and went downstairs. He was out the door and on the street before he realized he probably shouldn't go out by himself. But then the puppy called again and he followed.

Leon was just starting to get tired when the puppy trotted into the old Gummi station. For the first time, Leon hesitated. He hadn't gone to the station since Cloud had…died. But the puppy was inside, waiting for him. So, with heavy steps, the lion entered.

The puppy was waiting for him. Once it saw Leon it gave a finally bark before running off. Startled, Leon ran after it. The puppy went straight for the wreckage of Cloud's shuttle and started digging. There was certain desperation in its movements so Leon knelt down to help, being mindful of his stomach. However, a sudden flash of blonde hair made him forget everything.

"Cloud!" he cried, not noticing that the puppy was gone. His digging became frantic as he tried to free his mate. As soon as the debris was clear he hauled his husband out of the hole. "Cloud," he said again, hoping against hope that he'd get a response. At first there was nothing but then those beloved blue eyes slid open. For a moment the two stared at each other before Cloud cracked a smile.

"Told you it's not forever," he rasped. Leon burst into sobs, holding on to his mate with all his strength. As he tried to hold his lion as well Cloud saw a puppy sitting nearby. It smiled at him before winking and fading away.

"A puppy brought me to you," Leon finally managed to say through the sobs. "A little puppy." Cloud just nodded and smiled tiredly.

"Zack."

XxXxXxXxX

_Babble time: Yes, I know I'm insanely late. Go ahead and kill me. The only reason I'm posting this is because I have less then a month before I get shipped for ten weeks for military training and really want to finish this story before then. So let's get on to the reviews so I can start the next chapter._

_Innoke: Yeah, I thought Cloud was being just a tad too romantic but it worked out._

_Rosewhip889: Yeah, I laughed at that part myself. I can just totally see Zack doing that and getting caught. I wonder what Seph did to him?_

_StillDollDemon: I still feel so bad about letting you down with the slow updates. You have every right to kill me if you wish. Especially after this chapter. Anyway, the stupid message thing isn't going through; Fanfic is being a bitch. Sorry about that. Anyway, I do swear that this story will be done before I ship so no worries there. Hope you continue to like._

_Melody123: You're the second person to say that Cloud is romantic. Totally didn't mean for him to come across that way. So does that mean I'm a good writer or a bad one I wonder? And yeah, Cloud didn't really think it through very well but what's done is done._

_Yukichan99: I like doing the unexpected with my stories. I'm glad you like that too._

_RockBubbles: Its okay if you forgot to review. I'm not one of the people who counts reviews or stuff like that. I'm just glad you like it. And I hope you like this one._

_Well, that's done so I better start writing the next chapter._

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	6. Month 7 and 4

The whole world had changed. That's all Cloud could think as he stared out the window. Radiant Gardens used to be so bright and vibrant. Now it was dark and muted. Most of the citizens had fled months ago. All that were left was warriors. Some Cloud remembered from the Coliseum, like Auron. Others, like that guy in the glowing outfit, no one knew. The only thing that mattered was that they were all working together for their home.

Cloud?" The blonde's ears perked up as Leon entered the room. His lion's stomach was so large, commanding attention. Only a blind person would not know he was pregnant. "Are you alright? You look tired."

"Just thinking love," Cloud soothed, holding his arms open. Leon instantly came over and curled into his embrace. For a moment the couple basked in their closeness before Cloud nuzzled Leon's neck. "So how are your children?" he asked.

"Active," Leon said sourly. "They hardly have any room left but they still manage to jab me. I'm lucky to sleep at all anymore. And you? How is your child?" Smirking, Cloud let a hand rest on his not-so-flat-anymore stomach.

"I'm not throwing up anymore so I assume they're settled." He'd never know how Zack had managed to bring them both back to life but he didn't question it. Merlin and Aerith had been afraid that his body would reject the fetus in favor of healing but the opposite had occurred. His body had thrown everything into saving the baby and didn't really care for him. It was solely because of Aerith and her powers that Cloud was alive at all. Of course, after a month the situation was stable. Now Cloud was just tired all the time. Another month and he should be fully recovered.

"We still need to pick names for them," Leon sighed. The sound of Cloud's heartbeat was lulling him to sleep. Well, that was partially the reason. He was also bone tired because of the kids.

"We're a little early for mine," Cloud chuckled. "After all, I'm only four months along." Leon was never going to forgive him for missing the majority of the puking period. "But we can start discussing names for your two." Before Leon could agree an alarm went off. Both soldiers were on their feet instantly. That alarm meant an attack was happening. In the past it would have resulted in both men bursting out the door. However, that was before Leon was seven months pregnant. Now Cloud gently kissed his mate's forehead before running off. He never looked back because he knew what he would see. Leon on his knees, arms around his stomach, sobbing…

…and alone.

* * *

"Sorry to drag you here Cloud," Yuffie quipped, ducking another attack. "We tried to handle it ourselves but it got out of hand." Scowling, Cloud sliced another Heartless. Seriously, these things were disgusting.

"I don't believe you," he snarled, taking out four Heartless with one swing. "If things were out of hand you wouldn't be talking to me." The ninja was quiet for a moment before sighing.

"Follow," she said shortly, jumping to the roof. Cloud wasted another second to dispatch more of the enemy before following. Yuffie's serious gaze made him pull up short. She was _never_ serious.

"We called you because Cid spotted and Organization XIII guy." Her eyes were haunted as she spoke. "Cid snapped. You know how he is with Vincent still in a coma. He attacked the guy." She fell silent as Cloud heard his heart stop.

"Is Cid alright?" he asked through numb lips. Yuffie looked away.

"I don't know," she admitted. "Aerith was there instantly but she looked defeated. Then the Heartless swarmed and we had our hands full. But Cloud, that THING is still wandering out in the city. We can handle the Heartless; please kill that Organization bastard." Her eyes were nearly spitting fire by that point. For a moment Cloud remembered that Yuffie was just as dangerous as any of his friends. She just hid it better.

"You go it," he told her solemnly. For a moment she beamed at him before returning to the fray. The blonde watched her for a moment longer before taking off. The surrounding streets were empty, letting Cloud move at top speed. For a moment he felt lost, unsure about where he prey had gone. However, after a moments thought he smacked his forehead. He just had to search for Darkness. Hah, found it.

Weaving through the streets he followed the beacon of Darkness. For a moment he was confused. The creep was heading towards the Computer Room. Why was he going there? Well, might as well ask. "What the hell are you doing?" he yelled, bursting into the room. For a moment he saw a person with pink hair (was that a _guy_?) at the control panel. He was already bringing up his sword when a sound made him turn. For the barest of seconds he wondered why there was a guitar in his face but then it struck him and he was out.

* * *

Groaning, Cloud opened his eyes. It took him a moment to realize that he was on the ground, looking up at a very dark and flashy sky. As soon as that fell into place the other memories followed. Gasping, he leapt to his feet, sword at the ready. However, his blade drooped as confusion set it. "Where the hell am I?" he muttered, staring at the city before him. He didn't know any world with glowing buildings.

"You're on the Grid." Turing sharply, Cloud saw that strange warrior in the glowing outfit. In this place he didn't look so strange.

"I'm on the what?" he asked, barely relaxing.

"The Grid," was the reply. "Specifically, the computer grid. I'm Tron." The warrior offered a hand but smiled when Cloud didn't take it. "It's alright Cloud. I'm the security program that Leon built." THAT made Cloud blink.

"You're the city's defense system?" he asked, slightly awed. There was nothing Leon took more pride in than his defense system. Well, nothing other than his children.

"I am," Tron confirmed, letting his hand fall. "Ever program that the city uses loves here on the Grid. That's why the Organization tried to hack in and take over." He got a strange look in his eyes. "Whoever controls the Grid controls the city."

"And who controls the Grid now/" Cloud asked.

"Leon still, for the moment," Tron admitted. "But that Organization guy uploaded a new program. It calls itself MCP and it's slowly taking over. I was hoping you would help me fight it."

"Was there any doubt?" Cloud asked, slightly insulted. Like he wouldn't protect Leon, and his creations, in any way possible.

"Not so much doubt as reluctance," Tron said with a shrug. "We don't like involving users in our problems. But that guy sent you here so you're involved already. Now, will you help?"

"Just tell me what to do," was Cloud's answer. Smiling, Tron tossed him a stick.

"Copy me," the program called before turning to run. Cloud watched as Tron's bike materialized from the stick. It seemed pretty easy. So despite his better judgment he copped the movements and soon took off down the road. The bike handled just like Fenrir so it wasn't long before he caught up with Tron.

"So how are we going to do this?" he asked, hoping the program had a plan.

"The MCP still hasn't finished building its defenses," Tron called back. "Its core is still unprotected. If we can destroy that the program will collapse. The problem is getting to the MCP. Can you fight while mounted?"

"Better than anyone else," was the smug answer. Cloud didn't take pride in much but he WAS proud of his fighting skills. It ensured that he could protect his mate and friends.

"Good. In that case just stay close. And no worries about what you destroy. If they attack then they're the enemy." Cloud nodded to show he heard before focusing ahead. They were in the heart of the city now and he had to appreciate the buildings. They were more elegant yet simpler than any he'd seen before. Sometimes they'd pass other programs. Cloud's warrior side noted that the outfits either glowed orange or blue-tinted white. Before he could ask why he saw the Heartless appear. Smiling cruelly he drew his sword. This was going to be fun.

* * *

That was easier than I'd thought it'd be," Tron quipped as they finally stopped. "You weren't kidding about being the best mounted fighter."

"You're not bad yourself," Cloud admitted as his bike turned back into a stick. Proud of his skills he was but he would still give credit where credit was due.

"Of course not," Tron replied with a shrug. "Leon wanted the best security program so he designed me after you." That made Cloud blink but Tron was already moving so he followed. Both knew they were running out of time. When they reached the final corridor Cloud motioned that he should lead. Call it instinct but he was insistent until Tron rolled his eyes and conceded his position. Not two minutes later they were rounding a corner when Cloud suddenly fell into a crouch.

That blasted guitar went right over his head, hitting Tron in the face. Cloud pared a moment to wince as the program stumbled back from the blow before focusing on the opponent before him. Organization XIII if the robe was any indication.

"Aw man," the attacked moaned, backing away. "I told them they were sending the wrong guy." Cloud just stared before cocking his head.

"Who's this kook?" he muttered. Instantly the man (maybe) stamped his foot.

"That's just rude," he whined. "I'm not a kook. Argh, great, what was I supposed to do next? Let's see here…" He pulled out some note cards while Cloud just stared. "If the subject fails to respond…use aggression to liberate his true disposition…right." He tucked the cards away. "Did they ever pick the wrong guy for this one."

"Who the hell are you?" Cloud snarled.

"Fine, I'll do some Q and A," the guy sighed before flicking back his hood. Cloud blinked at the rather female looking opponent before frowning. Who was he to judge people as effeminate? "My name is Demyx. My turn. How did you avoid my attack?"

"You hit me before," Cloud reminded him, partially stunned that he was actually talking to the guy. "Once bitten, twice shy." That was a phrase Sephiroth had used all the time, glaring at Zack as he did so. Cloud had known better than to ask.

"True," Demyx admitted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Forgot that. Anyway, you're turn."

"I'll pass," Cloud snarled. "We're on a tight schedule here and you're in the way." He then blinked as Demyx transformed. Not physically, per se, but the klutzy, airhead feeling vanished. For the first time he realized that his opponent truly was dangerous.

"You're on a tighter schedule than you think," Demyx said quietly. "Remember two thing. First, not all of us members are evil. Second, beware of Saix." Before Cloud could reply a portal of Darkness appeared and Demyx vanished into it. Even after the portal closed Cloud continued to stare until Tron finally came back, rubbing his nose.

"Did I really get laid out by that wimp?" the program nearly whined. Cloud nodded silently, nearly smiling at Tron's groan. "Don't ever mention this again," the program snarled before stalking off. Cloud just followed, smirking silently.

They were nearly to the MCP when a sudden crackling made them pause. A bare moment passed before Yuffie's frantic voice came through.

_"Cloud! Cloud, are you there? Oh please be there. You need to come back! Leon's giving birth!"_

* * *

_Babble time: Duh, duh, duh! Hehe, that was fun. I had so much fun with Cloud in the chapter. Seriously, getting knocked out by a guitar. Oh the shame. I also appear to have lost most of my readers. Oh well, had a feeling that would happen. Oh yeah, the Tron and Grid I used here is the new one, not the classic version. Therefore, I know it differs from the game which uses the classic Tron. I just happen to know modern better so I used it. No, I don't care if it makes people angry. My story so I'm allowed to do as I wish._

_StillDollDemon: Yeah, I'm late. (droops) I'm sorry. For give me? __L I'm glad you liked the chapter though. I thought a lot of people would be mad that Cloud died but apparently no one else cares about this story anymore. J Just you and me now. Fun times! Anyway, I hope this chapter makes you feel better. And I'm not late this time!_

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	7. Leon gives birth

Panting, Leon tried to ignore the pain. He wasn't a stranger to pain, wouldn't let it control him. Okay, fine, he'd never felt the pain of birthing twins before but pain was pain, right?

"Not the best argument I've ever made," he admitted through clinched teeth as another contraction hit. Aerith was bustling around nearby, getting everything ready for the babies' arrival. Of course, considering the labor was twelve hours old Leon wondered just how many times she could rearrange things. He would have growled at her if he'd enough strength to. However, just then strength was hard to come by.

Where was Cloud? He should have been there by then. Hell, he should have been back minutes after Yuffie's summons. Yet here they were twelve hours later and no Cloud. This was doing nothing for Leon's abandonment issues.

"He'll come," Aerith soothed, as though she had heard his thoughts. "He probably had to finish up whatever battle he was in."

"A battle is more important than my children and I?" the lion snarled, slightly insulted.

"If it's important to the survival of Radiant Gardens it is," the Cetra retorted firmly. "Admit it Leon. If he had dropped everything and people had suffered you would have hurt him yourself." Sheepishly, Leon looked away. She had a point. That didn't mean he didn't want his mate.

"Cloud's here!" Yuffie's call had barely reached Leon's ears when Cloud was suddenly there. The lion instantly noted the blood covering the blonde but the note was distant. All that appeared to matter was that Cloud was there.

"Leon," Cloud breathed, taking his mate in his arms. Leon just purred, snuggling into the warmth. He felt the children shift and grunted. Sure,_ now_ they decide to work with the birthing progress. Damnit, they were as stubborn as Cloud.

"Alright Leon, are you ready?" Aerith asked. She winced at his hissed curse. Yeah, that was probably a stupid question. "Cloud, I need you to support him."

"Have I ever done anything else?" the blonde asked even as he shifted so that Leon was fully leaning against him. He did wince when Leon caught his hand but didn't otherwise move. Silence fell on the room other than Leon's panting.

"Here they come," Leon hissed just before the contraction hit. Pain enveloped his world and seemed to pulse with his heart. He vaguely heard Aerith urge him to push but he couldn't focus on her. All of his focus was on getting these children _out_ of him.

"It's alright Leon," Cloud breathed in his ear. "This will end soon and you'll be able to hold your children. Just hold on a little longer."

"I'll remember to say that when you give birth," Leon grunted. Sweet Shiva, this hurt! Male bodies so weren't designed for childbirth. Hell, they hardly handled pregnancy. "These are the last children I'm having Cloud. Understand? I'm _not_ going through this again." If Cloud responded it was drowned out by a wave of pain. Leon screamed as the pressure built but then suddenly it was gone. The scream continued but Leon realized he wasn't screaming anymore.

His child was.

"Congratulations Leon," Aerith said, deftly snipping the umbilical cord and wrapping the infant. "It's a boy." Tears pricked at Leon's eyes as his child was given to him. As soon as he was in his mother's arms the boy quit screaming. He blinked blue eyes, nearly obscured by his blonde fringe. Leon had never seen a baby with so much hair.

"Hello little one," he breathed, still in awe that this was his child. The baby's ears, wolf like his father, perked up at his voice. He almost seemed to know his mother already.

Another pain hit, making Leon grunt. The second baby was coming. Aerith quickly took the first baby back as the contractions resumed. For a moment Leon wondered why the pain was greater this time but then coherent thought faded and he screamed. Vaguely he was aware of Aerith cussing. That was enough of a shock that he clawed his way back to consciousness. Well, relative consciousness.

"What's wrong?" Cloud asked his voice tense and growling.

"It's a breech," Aerith said shortly. She had to know that neither guy would understand because she explained. Babies are normally born head first. Sometimes they get turned around and come out feet first. That's called a breech. It's dangerous for both mother and child. Now quit distracting me." Cloud fell silent.

Shadows started creeping into Leon's vision. Sounds were fading away, becoming mere echoes. He couldn't feel the pain anymore and that bothered him. He was supposed to feel pain. Was he…dying?

_Wake up_! Startled, Leon opened his eyes. A black wolf loomed above him, green eyes glaring. _Wake up_, it snarled again. _You are _not_ leaving Cloud and the children. I will not allow it…_

"Who are you to stop me?" the lion growled. True, he didn't want to leave Cloud but he didn't like people trying to command or control him.

_I'm Zack_. That made Leon shut up. _I've been watching over and protecting Cloud to long to let you die now. Wake. Up!_

Gasping, Leon snapped back to reality. Cloud's worried face was above him. For a moment he wondered why his husband looked so terrified but then things fell into place. He must have died. "It's not forever," he rasped, remembering Cloud's words. The terror began to fade out of Cloud's eyes.

"Seems that way," the blonde chuckled. "Let's hope our children don't decide to test the theory." Leon smiled tiredly until the words hit home.

"My baby," he gasped, trying to sit up. Cloud caught him and held on.

"Both babies are fine," he soothed. "Stay still and I'll bring them here." Leon relaxed and nodded. He let Cloud settle him on the bed before the blonde went over to the nearby crib. There he picked up two blue bundles. "Here they are," he said, bringing them over. Silently, Cloud handed Leon one bundle.

The baby insides stirred sleepily. His brown hair was feather soft, swaying in time to Leon's breathing. Since he was asleep Leon wasn't sure about his eyes color but he had a feeling it was blue like his brother. Nestled in the hair were two small kitten ears.

"He's beautiful," Leon breathed.

"They both are," Cloud chuckled. Carefully he crawled on to the bed, leaning over so that brothers were next to each other. It looked for all the world like they were holding infant versions of themselves.

The emotions welled up inside Leon. These were his children. They were his. His childhood dream of having a child was finally real. "Thank you," he breathed, leaning against his mate. Cloud understood and stayed quiet.

Leon was about to mention that he was hungry when an explosion rocked the house. Both babies woke instantly, crying. Downstairs people were shouting, trying to figure out what had happened. Cloud was about to join them when something moved outside the window. Demyx was there, looking towards the castle. He seemed to feel Cloud's glance because he glanced over. His mouth moved, forming words Cloud didn't need to hear to know.

_Beware of Saix_.

"Go." Surprised, Cloud glanced down. Leon was looking up at him with steely eyes. "I can't fight yet but you can. You must." His gaze fell to his sons. _Their_ sons. "We need you to protect us." Grimly, Cloud nodded. He kissed all three goodbye before grabbing his sword and leaving the house. Demyx was waiting for him and together they raced towards the castle.

* * *

"I think I liked it better when these things were on my side," the redhead muttered, dodging another Nobody attack. Cloud glanced at him to make sure he was fine before turning back to the fight before him. He still wasn't sure about the guy. Demyx trusted him and he was helping them out but he reminded Cloud of Reno a little too sharply. (And seriously, why did he have to memorize the name Axel? Overkill much?)

"Feeling a little…regret?" he asked snidely. Axel just grinned at him. Yeah, definitely Reno.

"Nah, I can handle these punks," he boasted. Just then a beam struck him, throwing him across the room.

"Of course you can," Cloud growled, fighting his way to the downed Nobody. Demyx reached Axel at the same time and irritably healed the gash while Cloud protected them.

"Go on ahead," Demyx said once Axel was healed. "Saix is further in. We can handle the Nobody's."

"That's what he said just before he got hit," Cloud said dryly, glancing towards Axel. Demyx just rolled his eyes and slapped the redhead on the back of the head.

"_He_ can't handle them," the blonde deadpanned, ignoring Axel's outraged squawk. "_We_ can. Now go on. They're waiting for you." Before Cloud could ask who 'they' were he saw them. Two wolves stood nearby at the foot of the stairs, watching him. A black one with violet-green eyes and a silver one with just green eyes.

_Zack and Sephiroth._

"Good luck," Cloud said before nearly leaping over the Nobody's. Rather than slowing he rushed past the wolves, knowing they'd turned to run beside him. For the first time in years he dropped his restraints and ran like the SOLDIER 1st class he should have been. Zack and Sephiroth followed easily, letting Cloud lead. He wasn't sure what they were doing there but he didn't question it.

Instinct told Cloud to slow down and he obeyed. The wolves followed suit though Zack looked confused. Cloud just smiled tightly at him before pausing. The doors before him led to the balcony and he knew Saix was there. Taking a deep breath Cloud strode forward and thrust the doors open.

His first thought as he saw Saix was how he resembled Sephiroth. The thought didn't even last a full second. Silver hair aside Saix looked and felt nothing like Sephiroth. He wasn't as kind and he wasn't as Dark.

"Cloud Strife," Saix nearly purred. A shudder of revulsion went through Cloud and he heard Zack retch. "I was wondering when you'd arrive." Seeing no need to respond, the blonde lifted his sword. The wolves beside him growled when two Nobody's stepped out of the shadows. One was that pink haired…person and the other a blonde female. Cloud knew the wolves were arguing over who'd take which Nobody but he stayed focused on Saix.

"Shall we continue elsewhere?" the silver Nobody asked. Cloud had barely nodded when the ground vanished from beneath him. The drop was short but when he landed he was steeped in Darkness. If Saix was hoping to disconcert him then he would be disappointed. Darkness was an old friend.

"Nice try," he muttered, shutting his eyes. They were worthless here anyway. He could hear the Nobody shifting ahead. "A warrior of Darkness is at home in the Darkness."

"Interesting," Saix breathed. For a moment Cloud could feel the probing touches and he shuddered. Maybe he should tell Leon about this. After all, his lion would tear apart anyone who'd dared to encroach on his territory. "So you are a being of darkness after all. I had my doubts after hearing about your allegiance. It's not often that a being of Darkness fights for the Light." Cloud remained silent, marking Saix's movements. "Why so quiet Cloud? Have you nothing to say?"

"Not to you," Cloud answered before suddenly lunging forward. A clang met his ears as he struck Saix's weapon. More important, he heard the Nobody curse in surprise. He loved surprising his enemies.

Talking was abandoned as the two warriors focused on the fight. Cloud hated to admit it but Saix was a good fighter. He actually had to focus on the battle and what he was doing.

"Do you know why the Organization is different from other Nobody's?" the creep asked. Growling, Cloud pushed him away. Who cared? "True, we don't have hearts. But we remember what it was like. That's what makes us special." Cloud could _hear_ him smirk. "We know very well how to injure a heart."

"Good," Cloud said, finally opening his eyes. He still couldn't see anything but he never faced death with his eyes closed. "I know how to stop them." Before Saix could react Cloud drew his dagger and threw it, hitting the Nobody between the eyes. He heard the soft gasp followed by a single drop of blood hitting the ground. All was silent until Saix groaned.

"Why?" he gasped, blood bubbling in his throat. "Why…Kingdom Hearts…where is my heart?" With that his body fell to the ground, lifeless. Somewhat disappointed, Cloud turned to leave. Leon and his sons were waiting for him. But before he could take another step two cold arms fell around him, forcing him to freeze. "If I had a heart, this would be where I die of laughter," whispered Saix's cold voice. "It takes more than that to destroy me. But since you tried so hard I'll tell you two things. First, we shall meet again. Second, watch for someone more powerful than I. Xemnas is not far off." A low chuckle before ghostly lips brushed over Cloud's. "Can you feel it, the moon's power?" He finally faded away leaving Cloud alone and shaking in the Dark.

* * *

_Are you okay_? Despite there being no actual words Cloud heard the question clearly and smiled at Zack.

"I'm fine," he said firmly, ignoring his limp. He spared a glance back. Demyx was following calmly while Axel pestered Sephiroth about something. The silver haired wolf looked about to snap but Cloud ignored that as a door ahead of them swung open. Leon strode out, the Light falling out around him. He took in the group, lingering on Zack for a moment, before smiling at Cloud.

"Welcome home," he said quietly. Cloud instantly rushed forward, grabbing his mate close. The stood there for a moment before separating. Leon beckoned for the others to enter, his arm still around Cloud. When they crossed the threshold he leaned over and whispered, "Sora and Roxas are waiting for you to say goodnight."

"Who?" the blonde asked, slightly confused.

"Our sons," the lion answered. Understanding swept across Cloud's face and he nodded, finally content. He had a family.

* * *

_Babble time: The end…maybe. Probably not. I'll probably write one more. Anyway, hope you all liked it. On to the reviews._

_Anabel the lady shark: A lot of people were waiting for that chapter. Even more people were waiting for this one I bet. I'm glad and slightly intimidated that you expect a certain level of writing from me. Personally, I think my works need a lot of work but hey, still glad you like it._

_Kitsunefan203: Yeah that was my problem with the story. There wasn't any struggle for our two favorite warriors so I had NOTHING to write about. Utterly boring and I just couldn't do it. Lol, I had so much fund with Demyx. I personally think he's a wimp but it was so much fun making him sorta cool._

_Dragi: Yeah, Cloud's pregnant. He'll only have one kid (he's gonna kill me if I give him multiple children again) No, he's not naming the kids after Zack and Seph._

_rockyBubbles: Cloud always has the short end of the stick. He wouldn't be Cloud without it._

_StillDollDemon: I know exactly what you mean. I was a bit amused/irritated at that myself. Ah, I didn't mean to confuse anyone! How did it confuse you? I'll try to clear it up. And yeah, Leon's babies are early. About…a month and a half or so. Still, they're both alive and healthy so that's good. And hey! This one wasn't late either. I'm getting better at this._

_Well that's all for now. I leave for BT May 23__rd__ and won't return until the beginning of August. You want to know what sucks about the whole thing? Going to bed at 20:00 in the evening and getting up at 03:00 in the morning. That. SUCKS!_

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	8. Cloud gives birth

"I could learn to hate this," Cloud growled. He was nine months pregnant and everyone knew it. Things hadn't been so bad right after Roxas and Sora were born. They were good, quiet babies. They hardly ever cried and were very healthy. They didn't mind being away from their parents for extended amounts of time. Everyone agreed that Leon and Cloud were lucky parents.

Demyx and Axel had moved in with the Strife's. They'd proved invaluable, both in babysitting and in the fight against the Nobody's. Yes, the Nobody's still existed. Saix, though powerful, had not been their leader. Xemnas was whoever the hell he was. There were nights where Cloud could not sleep; he was so worried about this unknown enemy. Demyx and Axel knew very little of Xemnas but were quick to reassure Cloud. They had no doubt that he, defeater of Saix, would beat Xemnas.

Zack and Sephiroth remained as well. They were obviously protective of Cloud but that protectiveness quickly encompassed the whole family. Zack remained rather dedicated to Cloud alone but Seph, oddly enough, became rather attached to the children. The only time he let them out of his sight was when they were inside the house. Leon thought the devotion was rather endearing but Cloud just smiled and shook his head. He was the only human entrusted with the secret that Seph loved children. He wouldn't ruin it for the mighty General…yet.

A rather amusing event occurred three months before. Sora and Roxas were taken to the park for the first time. That memory was enough to make Cloud smile but he outright laughed as he recalled what came of it. Sephiroth had, of course, been hovering over the children and Zack was quite clearly teasing him for it. Cloud could see Seph's temper growing shorter but he kept his mouth shut. Hell, Zack was Seph's mate and should know better. If he didn't, well, it was his ass. Literally.

Sure enough, as soon as they got home Seph grabbed Zack by the scruff and dragged him off. Leon paled at Zack's yelps and grunts but Cloud just sighed in exasperation. Stupid Zack. Of course, he did wince when, one week later, Aerith announced that Zack was pregnant. That hadn't gone over with the black wolf very well and Seph had spent many nights sleeping outside.

But that was all in the past. Zack now had four pups and couldn't be happier. His oldest pup, a black female, was named Valentine since she'd chosen to follow her parents. The second pup was also black but he was a male with green eyes. Merlin had said his name was Harry. (^.^) The third pup was a white male who was named Fenrir in honor of Cloud's bike. The smallest and youngest was a silver pup that was named Riku. The pups were young enough that they demanded most of Zack's attention and it could not have come at a worse time. Zack was already frantic because Cloud's baby was, quite simply, dying.

Despite having gone through eight months of pregnancy without a single problem (ignoring those two months he was dead) Cloud quite suddenly gained a serious one. His body was rejecting the baby. If it had rejected the child by normal means the answer would have been simple; Aerith would have just induced labor. But no, Cloud couldn't do anything simple. His body wasn't trying to expel the baby, his mako was attacking it. Because of that it would have actually put the baby in greater risk to induce labor.

Because of this Cloud was confined to bed. He was furious. Never, _never_, in his life had he been confined to bed. (Okay, that was a lie. He'd been confined when he was mako poisoned…both times…and after Hojo…and that other time…yeah, whatever) Point was, he was pissed.

Thank Gaia for Leon. The lion not only raised his sons and ran Radiant Gardens; he also kept Cloud calm and sedate. Yes, he had help. Most notable were Zack, Demyx, and Tron. Still, Leon merely needed to be nearby and Cloud was calmed. Sora and Roxas were also vital in keeping Cloud sane. Roxas in particular would simply curl up with Cloud and stay there all day.

Despite having his friends and family nearby, Cloud grew restless. He started itching, just like he had before his world was consumed by Darkness. The others ignored his worries, assuring him that Radiant Gardens was safe. Even Leon disregarded his fears. Everyone was confident of Radiant Gardens' defenses.

That just made Cloud worry more.

* * *

"Aren't you hungry?" Leon asked, glancing at the hardly touched dinner. Cloud shook his head, turning away from his mate. Leon's disregard for his worries stung. To the best of his knowledge he had always given his husband the benefit of the doubt. To not have the favor returned hurt.

"Alright," Leon said sadly, taking the food away. He didn't know why Cloud was drifting away from them but he wished the blonde would stop. Everyone was worried about him, Zack chief among them. If the stubborn blonde would just talk to them they would help. Didn't he know that by now?

"Where are the boys?" Cloud asked. He hadn't seen them all day which was weird.

"Demyx and Axel too them over to Tifa's bar," Leon answered, glad that Cloud was finally talking. "Everyone thought we deserved a night off." Cloud glanced at him but didn't answer. Apparently he still didn't want conversation. Sighing, Leon let his hope die. He was about to leave when an explosion shook the house, throwing him off balance. "Shit," both men shouted but for very different reasons. In seconds Leon was out of the house, racing away to face this new threat. He left so fast he didn't hear Cloud frantically calling him. He left the blonde alone…

…just as his labor started.

"Shit," Cloud moaned again. He became aware of wetness and winced. Leon's water hadn't broken for hours. Seemed his labor was going to be shorter. That good news was offset by the apparent fact that he was giving birth alone.

"Why…is it always…me?" he panted. It felt like his stomach rippled. Something, maybe instincts, made Cloud struggle to his knees. He knew he couldn't give birth laying down flat but he was lost on what he _should_ do. Yes, he remembered his mother telling him that she'd birthed him alone but since he was a boy she hadn't exactly detailed how.

"Gaia kill me now," he whimpered as another contraction hit. His respect for Leon and all females shot up. Anyone who could go through this deserved respect. But thinking that wasn't helping him birth his child. He looked around the room, desperate for ideas. In the corner he saw some rope. Why was rope in his bedroom? Never mind, he needed it. He remembered his mother talking about a sling. She had made a sling to hold herself up while she squatted over a bundle of blankets for him to fall into. Primitive to the max but apparently it worked.

Fighting the pain, Cloud managed to get to his feet. With aching slowness he stumbled over to the rope. Finally grabbing it he looked around for something he could loop it over to make the sling. At first he saw nothing but then his gaze settled on the bed. For the first time ever he was glad Aerith had bought them a canopy bed. The trip back to the bed was painful but he made it. He had to wait a moment for another contraction to pass before looping the rope over the upper frame. The finished product was far from pretty but Cloud didn't care. His baby was coming.

"Gah!" he screamed as pain ripped through him. Oh my Gaia, this hurt! He could feel himself tearing. Yeah, not a pleasant feeling. "Come on baby, please," he panted. "Please, come out already." Another explosion outside, closer this time. Leon and his friends needed him and he wasn't there! "Baby, please hurry! It's not safe here!"

Either the baby heard him or Gaia decided to take pity on him (Yeah right!) because as Cloud pushed with the next contraction the baby slid out! Its outraged screams mixed with the blonde's relieved sobs. The blonde released the ropes and nearly fell forward before finding his strength. Laboriously he moved so he could gather the baby in his arms. Vaguely he knew he needed to cut the umbilical cord but there was none. He stared for a moment before remembering what Merlin had told him. Magically conceived babies were 'different'. Apparently that was true.

"Kari," he whispered to the baby before frowning. Where had that name come from? That was not a name he wanted to give anyone. Before he could think about it another pain ripped through him, nearly making him drop the baby. That was a contraction. There were more? Resolving to kill Aerith and Merlin he quickly placed Kari to the side before clutching his sling. This was going to be hell.

* * *

"Shit!" Leon cursed, being struck away again. This time he couldn't slow himself and he struck a nearby wall. The impact was enough to send him to his knees. Gasping, he looked around, knowing things were bad. His friends were scattered about, all injured. Demyx was the worst; his left arm was gone. Axel lay nearby, either unconscious or dead. Cid, fresh from his sick bed, was hobbling around on a shattered leg. All the others had wounds littering their bodies and some staggered from blood loss. Even Aerith was not unscathed.

Across the street was Tifa's bar. The building was completely destroyed and his sons…his sons… Leon closed his eyes in misery. Roxas was mostly fine with just a gash across his forehead. However, Sora's back had been broken and Aerith could not undo the damage. Sora would never be able to walk.

All because of the man before him. The lion's eyes snapped open in rage. Xemnas had finally arrived in Radiant Gardens and he'd brought Darkness with him. For the first time Cloud's worries rang in Leon's mind since the blonde had voiced them. The blonde had warned them that the Darkness was coming. Why, oh why, had they not listened?

"Squall Leonheart." Startled, Leon snapped back to reality. Xemnas stood before him, his weapon raised to cleave him in two. Everything was moving to fast; he couldn't dodge in time. The sword was already falling and Leon's eyes closed, his husband's name on his lips.

* * *

_Babble time:…no, not really._

* * *

_Chocobo attack!_ A clang made Leon's eyes open again. Before him was the most beautiful sight ever. Cloud, alive and well, stood before him, effortlessly blocking the offending weapon. His rage was rolling off him but Leon felt nothing but love and safety.

"His name is Leon," the blonde growled before suddenly throwing Xemnas away from them. The Nobody flew back, clearly unprepared for the blonde's power. The sight was so perfect Leon would have cheered if he had had the strength.

"Leon" Cloud said quickly, kneeling beside his mate. "Quickly, how are our sons?" For a moment the lion was insulted that Cloud hadn't inquired how _he_ was but then he mentally smacked himself. The blonde could see _him_; he _couldn't_ see the boys.

"Roxas has a gash on his forehead," he said, nearly numb. "Sora was paralyzed from the waist." Tears welled up in his eyes. "He can't walk Cloud. Our son is never going to walk." Cloud looked sick even as he tried to comfort his mate. It was then that Leon remembered something. "What the hell are you doing here? You're pregnant, damnit!"

"Not anymore," the blonde snorted. Startled, Leon glanced and realized that Cloud's stomach was nearly flat again. Regret flooded through him. He hadn't been there for the birth of Cloud's baby. No one had.

A flare of Darkness caused them both to stagger. Xemnas was back. Cloud kissed Leon briefly before turning back to the battle. He spared a moment to call for Zack, who came running, before racing towards the Darkness. After that Leon's vision went dark and he remembered nothing.

* * *

Slowly, Leon came back to his senses. He knew he was in a bed but couldn't remember how he got there. Not that it mattered since he could feel Cloud nearby. The blonde's presence soothed him so that, even when the memory of the battle returned, he didn't panic. Instead he eased in wakefulness, sleepily blinking his eyes.

"You're awake." Cloud eased into view, worry draining out of his eyes. Leon smiled sadly and reached out. His mate took his hand gently, settling down beside him.

"I'm sorry for not believing you about the Darkness," the lion said, his voice quieter then a whisper. He couldn't seem to speak louder but it didn't matter. Cloud heard him clearly. "If I had than maybe everyone would be safe. Maybe Sora would…" He trailed off, unable to continue.

"It's not as bad as you think," Cloud assured. "Aerith was able to work on him a little more. He'll always be weak in the legs but he _will_ walk." Leon's eyes lit up but he was too weak to do anything else so Cloud continued. "Really, you didn't miss much of a battle. Zack and I fought Xemnas for a while before Vincent suddenly woke. He saw Cid and just _flipped_. I've never seen Chaos so mad. Once the demon showed up Xemnas had to retreat. It was actually rather anti-climatic." Yes, he left out the part about Xemnas swearing to come back. His lion didn't need to know that now.

"Did we lose anyone?" Leon asked, remembering Axel.

"No," Cloud soothed, shaking his head. "Demyx lost his arm but everyone will recover in time." Physically at least. Mental wounds were different but again, Leon didn't need to know.

Sleep was claiming Leon again but he resisted. There was one more thing he needed to do. "May I see your child?" he asked with a smile. Cloud snorted, confusing him, but he still rose to retrieve the baby. A moment later he returned, a pink bundle in his arms. He carefully gave Leon the child so the lion could see his daughter.

She was so small and delicate Leon was afraid she would shatter. Her light blonde hair nestled the frailest looking kitten ears he'd ever seen. The subdued lighting made her pale skin glow. She was asleep so her eyes were closed but Leon could just feel that her eyes were blue like her brothers. "What's her name?" he asked quietly, trying not to wake the angel.

"Namine," Cloud answered, smiling slightly. She was going to be a heartbreaker.

"How did all our kids get your eyes?" Leon teased. He knew he'd said something wrong when Cloud frowned.

"Not all of them," the blonde grumbled. For the first time Leon noticed that Cloud was holding another bundle. This one was white, not hinting towards its contents. Cloud saw Leon's glance and shifted nervously. "Aerith was wrong; I had twins. However, I'm still not sure where this one came from." Another lie but one he had to make. Leon couldn't know about where this child came from. Still, Leon looked curious so, to stave off questions, Cloud gave him the baby while taking Namine back.

Despite his best intentions, Leon stared at the baby. Snowy white hair, flawless pale skin. It looked like the child of winter itself. This baby was awake and their eyes were so pale Leon couldn't find a trace of color. "Name?" he asked, to shocked to say anymore.

"Kari," Cloud whispered. He knew Leon already loved the baby. Hell, forget the strange looks, it was still their child. It was perfectly normal to love the babe. However, he wondered if he could explain where the name Kari came from. Explain why he was so uncomfortable around the child.

Kari was a legend from Nibelheim. Kin to Shiva herself, Kari was born from ice, snow, wind, and pain. A notorious shape shifter, Kari was neither male nor female. Kari just existed.

Just as this child existed. Though physically the child was female Cloud could not use 'she' or 'her' in reference to the babe. It was infuriating but there was nothing he could do.

Thoroughly exhausted, Leon didn't complain when Cloud retrieved Kari. He was asleep before Cloud had reached the cribs. The blonde carefully placed Namine and Kari in their cribs. He spared a moment to gaze at his four children, giving thanks for them all, before returning to his mate. Sleep descended on the house as the family faded in the night. Life would never be boring for them but they would face every challenge together. They were a family.

And if ice spread out from Kari, freezing anything near them or anyone who threatened their family, who was to notice?

* * *

_Babble time: Okay, this is really the end. I may do an epilogue if I have time but don't hold me to that! The Army is very frantic right now, not the least because the base I am going to was attacked just three days ago. Oh joy. Anyway, I want to thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed this last chapter. Also, I intend to write a sequel for this, focusing on the children. That should come out after I get back…maybe. Well, on to the reviews._

_Revolutionary Venom: Obviously the story isn't over. And yes, he had a girl (Kari doesn't count). But no, not Kairi. I intend to bring her in in the sequel as Sora's girlfriend and that would NOT work if she was his sister. Ew._

_StillDollDemon: Sorry, no AkuRoku. Axel actually gets with Demyx in the sequel. Yeah, I know, weird, but that's what my muse said to do and I don't want to piss her off…again. As you can see, the baby was not Kairi. I thought Namine fit the family better than Kairi did. Yes, Saix was creepy. As for why he was crushing on Cloud, two reasons. 1) Cloud is very powerful in the Darkness and that draws Saix in. 2) Cloud is freaking HOT! Anymore questions? See, you didn't have to wait for months for this to end. You just need to wait months for the sequel. That's not so bad, right? What math are you using? I go to bed at nine, I get up at four. That's seven hours of sleep, not nine. And no, no weekends off and even if I did, I couldn't come back. I live in Colorado but I'm training in Missouri. And finally, yes, Riku showed up._

_Well, that's all for now I guess. Epilogue should be soon. Enjoy._

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


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